Rachael Eyre's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing-characters"
Don't Make Your Reader Hate Your Character
(Sorry about the hiatus. As well as settling into a new job, I suffered a profound case of writers' block January - March. Thankfully that's been overcome; the intention is to make this blog bigger and better, and to cover as wide a range of topics as possible. The aim is to write at least one blog a week, hopefully more).
As a writer, one of the most useful things you can learn is what makes readers abandon a book. While bad writing, an unoriginal plot and frustration with pacing can all help a reader to switch off, one issue that comes up time and time again - and it has certainly been instrumental in making me chuck books - is unlikable characters. When the problem is the lead, it's magnified tenfold.
How can you avoid falling into this trap? Although by no means exhaustive, here is a collection of reasons why your characters might alienate potential readers.
1) You're in love with your character
We're all partial to our characters, particularly the heroes. It stand to reason: we spend so much time with them, and it's a delight thinking up new things for them to say and do. But there are some authors whose interest seems to go one step further: authors where you want to tell them and the character to get a room.
Gushing over their godlike looks. Chortling over some average witticism they've made. Describing everything they do, even walking the dog or eating a Pot Noodle, with the hypertrophied language of romance. If your reader hasn't been similarly bowled over by Mr Wonderful, they'll have a feeling of complete disassociation as people fall in love with him, fight for him, follow him. It's the literary equivalent of the popular crowd in American high school films: in their own little bubble they rule the world, when in reality they're just a gaggle of superficial teenagers.
Have a close look at the character. Are you sure he's not your fantasy boyfriend made flesh? Does he really have to whip his lustrous tresses around like he's in a shampoo ad? If he's too perfect, give him flaws; if he's a jerk who everyone inexplicably loves, give him some depth.
2) They're you
This is a true story. Back when I was studying creative writing at uni, one of the students had written a piece about a boy who cheats on his girlfriend with her best friend. Although it wasn't spelt out, it was plainly autobiographical.
Cue our tutor's assessment. She really laid into the 'character' , calling him selfish, egotistical, devoid of all scruples- you should've seen him squirm.
Though undoubtedly humiliating, this is a valuable lesson: the reader doesn't know you, so can judge your actions as a bystander. You might be proud of the stunt you pulled on a nasty teacher or the time you had six one night stands in a week, but that doesn't mean everyone's going to view your exploits with rose tinted glasses. It's worse if - as with my fellow student - the border between fact and fiction is non existent. The reader's perfectly justified in thinking that not only do they dislike your book, you sound like a heel too.
3) They're shallow
We all make snap judgments. Who hasn't met a new acquaintance and thought "Too loud" or "He should do something about his hair?"
These thoughts are fine inside your head, where they belong. But if a character has them, that's a different kettle of fish. It may be this tendency to dismiss people within seconds that turns your readers off. Not everybody reading your book is going to be slender and stylish with film star looks. If they lambast another character for being overweight, spotty, having BO or bad breath, you risk making your lead look like a total bitch and losing your reader's sympathy. A personal peeve is "She hadn't made an effort" about female characters, as if she has to fit a narrow definition of femininity to be attractive!
If you want your character to take a dislike to somebody, give them a valid reason. Make the other person snide, a bully or a bore. Don't write them off based on their appearance.
4) They're bigoted
Hoo, boy. Though not as common nowadays, the fastest way to put readers off is to have a prejudiced protagonist. We might make allowances for this behaviour in real life - "That's my Uncle Eddie, don't mind him"- but you can't answer for intolerant old relatives. In a book, you make the final cut, so including bigotry will raise an eyebrow at the very least. If a heroine makes racist, homophobic or disablist remarks, a reader will assume you condone such views, or even hold them yourself.
Some writers deliberately insert prejudice into stories, thinking it's edgy. Don't. Unless it's part of the character's journey, and they shed their outdated values, it's too dicy. Only do this if they're intentionally unsympathetic.
5) They whine
In cult disaster spoof Airplane, the hero sits next to a series of fellow passengers, telling them his long, angst ridden life story. Whenever we return to the present, we discover the passenger has killed themselves.
While obviously exaggerated for comedy, a character who bemoans their lot has a similar effect on readers. Yes, they may have been left on the Church of Satan's doorstep at three days old, been passed around like a parcel and hated by everyone, we get it. That's no excuse for acting like a toe rag now, or continually complaining.
Even worse is when their problems are trivial. They haven't got a date? Their roots are showing? They're jealous of their successful friend? Big deal!
Unlike the passengers, your reader can simply put the book down and walk away. Don't forget that.
6) They're unbelievable
Realism is relative. Fictional characters are, by their very nature, larger than life - who wants to read about Jane Jones, librarian?- but there's a difference between being colourful and being completely implausible.
You are not going to have a twenty six year old President of the US, however charismatic or brilliant they may be. Whatever Ian Fleming might have thought, nobody is sexually irresistible to everyone they meet. Your heroine will not have read the entire literary canon at 16, child prodigy or no.
Readers demand more depth and substance to their characters. A gorgeous polymath who also happens to be a lovely person is not a refreshing take on an old stereotype; she makes us reach for the sick bag.
7) They're gimmicky
Personally I blame Sherlock Holmes. Don't get me wrong, I've been a fervid admirer of the Great Detective for years. But thanks to his enormous success, many writers believe that all it takes to make a franchise is somebody tall and snarky with anti social tendencies, a few weird foibles and a long suffering friend. Extra points if they "don't do" romance (unless it's with the friend).
A character is more than an array of bon mots or funny clothes. They need a history, goals, fears. Don't give them an eccentric hobby or idiosyncrasy and expect the personality to turn up- it doesn't happen like that.
The same applies to catchphrases. Said once or twice, they're amusing and a good indication of character; said every time they appear, it will send readers potty. Holmes only said "The game is afoot" a few times - and "Elementary, my dear Watson" NEVER.
As a writer, one of the most useful things you can learn is what makes readers abandon a book. While bad writing, an unoriginal plot and frustration with pacing can all help a reader to switch off, one issue that comes up time and time again - and it has certainly been instrumental in making me chuck books - is unlikable characters. When the problem is the lead, it's magnified tenfold.
How can you avoid falling into this trap? Although by no means exhaustive, here is a collection of reasons why your characters might alienate potential readers.
1) You're in love with your character
We're all partial to our characters, particularly the heroes. It stand to reason: we spend so much time with them, and it's a delight thinking up new things for them to say and do. But there are some authors whose interest seems to go one step further: authors where you want to tell them and the character to get a room.
Gushing over their godlike looks. Chortling over some average witticism they've made. Describing everything they do, even walking the dog or eating a Pot Noodle, with the hypertrophied language of romance. If your reader hasn't been similarly bowled over by Mr Wonderful, they'll have a feeling of complete disassociation as people fall in love with him, fight for him, follow him. It's the literary equivalent of the popular crowd in American high school films: in their own little bubble they rule the world, when in reality they're just a gaggle of superficial teenagers.
Have a close look at the character. Are you sure he's not your fantasy boyfriend made flesh? Does he really have to whip his lustrous tresses around like he's in a shampoo ad? If he's too perfect, give him flaws; if he's a jerk who everyone inexplicably loves, give him some depth.
2) They're you
This is a true story. Back when I was studying creative writing at uni, one of the students had written a piece about a boy who cheats on his girlfriend with her best friend. Although it wasn't spelt out, it was plainly autobiographical.
Cue our tutor's assessment. She really laid into the 'character' , calling him selfish, egotistical, devoid of all scruples- you should've seen him squirm.
Though undoubtedly humiliating, this is a valuable lesson: the reader doesn't know you, so can judge your actions as a bystander. You might be proud of the stunt you pulled on a nasty teacher or the time you had six one night stands in a week, but that doesn't mean everyone's going to view your exploits with rose tinted glasses. It's worse if - as with my fellow student - the border between fact and fiction is non existent. The reader's perfectly justified in thinking that not only do they dislike your book, you sound like a heel too.
3) They're shallow
We all make snap judgments. Who hasn't met a new acquaintance and thought "Too loud" or "He should do something about his hair?"
These thoughts are fine inside your head, where they belong. But if a character has them, that's a different kettle of fish. It may be this tendency to dismiss people within seconds that turns your readers off. Not everybody reading your book is going to be slender and stylish with film star looks. If they lambast another character for being overweight, spotty, having BO or bad breath, you risk making your lead look like a total bitch and losing your reader's sympathy. A personal peeve is "She hadn't made an effort" about female characters, as if she has to fit a narrow definition of femininity to be attractive!
If you want your character to take a dislike to somebody, give them a valid reason. Make the other person snide, a bully or a bore. Don't write them off based on their appearance.
4) They're bigoted
Hoo, boy. Though not as common nowadays, the fastest way to put readers off is to have a prejudiced protagonist. We might make allowances for this behaviour in real life - "That's my Uncle Eddie, don't mind him"- but you can't answer for intolerant old relatives. In a book, you make the final cut, so including bigotry will raise an eyebrow at the very least. If a heroine makes racist, homophobic or disablist remarks, a reader will assume you condone such views, or even hold them yourself.
Some writers deliberately insert prejudice into stories, thinking it's edgy. Don't. Unless it's part of the character's journey, and they shed their outdated values, it's too dicy. Only do this if they're intentionally unsympathetic.
5) They whine
In cult disaster spoof Airplane, the hero sits next to a series of fellow passengers, telling them his long, angst ridden life story. Whenever we return to the present, we discover the passenger has killed themselves.
While obviously exaggerated for comedy, a character who bemoans their lot has a similar effect on readers. Yes, they may have been left on the Church of Satan's doorstep at three days old, been passed around like a parcel and hated by everyone, we get it. That's no excuse for acting like a toe rag now, or continually complaining.
Even worse is when their problems are trivial. They haven't got a date? Their roots are showing? They're jealous of their successful friend? Big deal!
Unlike the passengers, your reader can simply put the book down and walk away. Don't forget that.
6) They're unbelievable
Realism is relative. Fictional characters are, by their very nature, larger than life - who wants to read about Jane Jones, librarian?- but there's a difference between being colourful and being completely implausible.
You are not going to have a twenty six year old President of the US, however charismatic or brilliant they may be. Whatever Ian Fleming might have thought, nobody is sexually irresistible to everyone they meet. Your heroine will not have read the entire literary canon at 16, child prodigy or no.
Readers demand more depth and substance to their characters. A gorgeous polymath who also happens to be a lovely person is not a refreshing take on an old stereotype; she makes us reach for the sick bag.
7) They're gimmicky
Personally I blame Sherlock Holmes. Don't get me wrong, I've been a fervid admirer of the Great Detective for years. But thanks to his enormous success, many writers believe that all it takes to make a franchise is somebody tall and snarky with anti social tendencies, a few weird foibles and a long suffering friend. Extra points if they "don't do" romance (unless it's with the friend).
A character is more than an array of bon mots or funny clothes. They need a history, goals, fears. Don't give them an eccentric hobby or idiosyncrasy and expect the personality to turn up- it doesn't happen like that.
The same applies to catchphrases. Said once or twice, they're amusing and a good indication of character; said every time they appear, it will send readers potty. Holmes only said "The game is afoot" a few times - and "Elementary, my dear Watson" NEVER.
